I like this post.

Thank you.

I think we’re already progressing too much to realize how technology is endangering our way of living.

You know I think Intellectual Property is a bit questionable. My teacher back in college argued that human inspiration was meant to be for the benefit of human kind. An example would probably be Marie Curie. She “refused” to patent her process of isolating radium to let other scientist use it unhindered. How fast did we reach nuclear energy after.

I just think the natural way intellectual property rights is ineffective is an act of God that is preventing individuals not to be too enterprising but to think of more of service to the people.

We are already too much property-oriented as a basis for happiness. Now we even try to own intellectual property. What if someone also thinks of it?

There are human progress in terms of letting go Intellectual Property. There’s Creative Commons and Open Source Software. Think Firefox, Open Course Ware (Free Online Classrooms!).

RFID

I fear this process. I think this is already a step behind putting chips in our bodies. I read that there are already people who wish for this to happen on the basis of convenience.

How RFID works and a demonstration of how RFID-based credit cards can be hacked:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/technology-explained-how-do-rfid-tags-work/

Most websites tracks stats, so privacy is already hard to come by. I suspect the NBI possesses mad hacking skills, or at least the resources to get whatever info they want without resorting to due process. iac, this HK incident, as a pretext, is just more posturing to enact laws that appease the public despite these guys already having the means to do so.

also to consider Cocoy: sometimes it’s an administrations effort to put their stamp on policies aimed at recent concerns. RH Bill 5043 is a similar attempt to put this administration ‘on the record’ with population control. If enacted, their butts are covered, and nobody can point the finger at them for sitting idly by while your population gradually overwhelms the system. At the end of the equation though, it’s just too difficult to know what these guys are really up to, and an alopecic experience to stay on top of things whether their motives are conspiratorial or not.

imho- in the context of all other abuses throughout the system, the communications industry is one of the most well regulated business de jure, if not de facto, this country has seen in a long time. The problem lies squarely with local law enforcement. They can’t be trusted with such liberties.

I sometimes see politicos in such places with their laptops on and surrounded by “strangers” with their laptops on, as well.
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Good thing you mentioned that Belo and Atty Guevarra.
Remember the gospel according to Tracy. She took pains of trying to defend herself and all she had to do was to say wala kayong pakialam that she just sent the message to her online friends.

(The gospel according to Tracy was about someone joking about the outreach program she did staying with Aetaas for a few days,blahblahblah)
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Rights of citizens?
I read somewhere in one of your links I think it was Jeter’s.
It was about knowing your rights when you are invited to go to the precinct,etc.
As GIJOes said knowing is just half of the battle, what to do with that knowledge is another story. You can raise fear,you can look the other way or be active and get involved.
How many of us here seen people on TV with their face bloated like siopao and with black eyes,sa tingin ko unang instinct natin buti nga sa kanya kriminal kasi. Or would our initial reaction be: kailangan umangal sa CHR yan, sobra naman ang ginawa sa kanya?

I wish and I hope that i am wrong na unang instinct natin ay sabihing buti nga.

Thanks for the space.

You wish conversation about liberty, which unfettered snooping would abandon.

I wrote, pertaining to a (perhaps) warrantless internet snooping provision: “Like the Right of Reply bill, this section suggests legislators are paranoid and don’t much prize granting their citizens privacy or even the dignity of trust. Like, get a warrant, show just cause, before prowling about in my private life like, . . . well, like a pervert . . . “

What more do you wish? We should be free to think, write privately or publicly, air grievances, without the presumed association of our words with subversion, and without the heavy hand of authority ruling over us like some mad auntie with a switch.

The law, if not tamed with warrants, is another abridgment of basic human rights, like taxing books or sanctioning the murder of journalists by inaction, or death squads. It is the “way” of the Philippines. Power is power, and power with a gun, or power to manipulate the enforcers of justice (police) or halls of justice (courts), rather comes with the territory in this mockery of a democracy that is supposed to be of and for the public, but is not.

How much sharper do you want it?

People are cowed or bought off. There is no Civil Liberties Union, the Ombudsman is lolling on the beach somewhere as the civic masters raid the public coffers at will. There is no place for a right-minded Filipino to turn. March on the streets . . . again? Haul out the generals . . . again?

All there is . . . is the vote, and any Congressman voting for unfettered snooping should be thrown out of office on his ass, or head, for there is little distinction.

Where is the legal recourse for citizens? I am unaware of any.

In a nation of laws, its citizens have been cut off from speedy, fair justice.

Freedom? I fear that Filipinos over-respect authority, are afraid to challenge it, and maybe for good reason. It is preferable to live. The freedom to breath is quite precious.

If you want something, simply say what it is you want, and tell us who are waddling in frustration what we can practically do next. I blog. I can’t vote. I raise my voice, I’m thrown out.

Joe

I appreciate the comments and all. Still, no one is stepping out to ensure Rights for Citizens. There is no talk of ensuring network neutrality. There is no talk of guaranteeing Free Speech and Free Expression online for Filipinos. There is talk of more jail time and talk about government looking into our lives. And we talk about safety, but not about liberty.

To borrow, Benjamin Franklin: “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Call me unsatisfied with how the law is in the Philippines or what our priorities are.

Yes, I agree, and was musing “in general”. I greatly appreciate cocoy’s bringing the matter forward, and if the House bill contains no language about warrants, that is worth throwing up the fear factor.

But I think newspaper editorials and articles, blogs, or newscasts warrant being read or heard with some measure of scepticism, and that, indeed, the value of FV is that it brings both cocoy’s responsible voice, and yours, to bear on a matter of considerable importance.

Good to hear from you.

Joe

The bogey is his martial law stigma, which I dare say nalimutan na ng karamihan.

http://www.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/108659639!.pdf

SEC.12. Search, Seizure, and Examination of Computer Data – Where a search and
seizure warrant is properly issued, the law enforcement authorities shall likewise have the
following powers and duties:
Within the time period specified in the warrant, to conduct interception, as defined in this
Act, content of communications, procure the content of data either directly, through access and
use of computer system, or indirectly, through the use of electronic eavesdropping or tapping
devices, in real time or at the same time that the communication is occurring and to:
a. To secure a computer system or a computer data storage medium;
b. To make and retain a copy of those computer data secured;
c. To maintain the integrity of the relevant stored computer data;
d. To conduct examination of the computer data storage medium; and
e. To render inaccessible or remove those computer data in the accessed computer or
computer and communication network.
Pursuant thereof, the law enforcement authorities may order any person who has
knowledge of the functioning of the computer system and the measures to protect and preserve
the computer data therein to provide, as is reasonable, the necessary information, to enable the
undertaking of the search, seizure and examination.
Law enforcement authorities’may request for an extension of time to complete the
examination of the computer data storage medium and to make a return thereon but in no case
for a period longer than thirty (30) days from the date of approval by the court.

lumayo pa ako sa house bill meron din pala.

SEC.13. Search, Seizure and Examination of Computer Data. – Where a search and seizure warrant is properly issued, law enforcement authorities shall, within the time period specified in the warrant, have the following powers and duties:

(a) To conduct interception, as defined in this Act, of content data;

(b) To secure a computer system or a computer-data storage medium;

(c) To make and retain a copy of secured computer data;

(d) To maintain the integrity of the relevant stored computer data;

(e) To conduct examination of the computer data storage medium; and

(f) To render inaccessible or remove those computer data in the accessed computer system.

The law enforcement authorities may order any person who has knowledge about the functioning of the computer system and the measures to protect and preserve the computer data therein to provide, as is reasonable, the necessary information, to enable the undertaking of the search, seizure and examination.

Law enforcement authorities may request for an extension of time to complete the examination of the computer data storage medium and to make a return thereon but in no case for a period longer than thirty (30) days from date of expiration of the warrant.

so the reconciliation of the bill in the bicam would not have a problem with regards to your warrantless search concerns .